Warner Bros. Discovery ANZ has revealed its 2024 plans for New Zealand audiences on ThreeNow and Three, building on the company’s world-class reputation across global media, news, sports and entertainment to offer Kiwis the most diverse portfolio of local and international content, brands and franchises across television, film and streaming.
“Our top priority this year has been investment and growth in ThreeNow and its audience, which will continue in 2024 as we further drive its expansion and build increasing scale. This means growing audiences with the best mix of locally produced and internationally acquired content,” says Juliet Peterson, Senior Director Content & BVOD, Warner Bros. Discovery ANZ.
NEWSHUB
Starting early next year and building on our core news offerings including Newshub Live at 6PM and AM, a brand-new news and current affairs 7pm show will be hosted by Newshub’s Ryan Bridge.
“It’s an absolute privilege to front this brand-new show,” says Ryan. “Live news interviews are returning to 7pm on ThreeNow and Three and I can’t wait to show New Zealand what we have planned. Expect lively debate, context around the day’s big stories and both local and international guests.”
The live show will be a vital news offering tackling the day’s biggest stories and advancing the news agenda. Powered by news-making interviews and thought-provoking panel discussions, the show will supercharge news in the evening.
“The show will tackle the big conversations – conversations that connect us – and conversations you won’t want to miss,” says Sarah Bristow, Senior Director News, Warner Bros. Discovery ANZ. “We’ll challenge, provoke, entertain, spark emotion and drive a live conversation with our audience. The show will be gutsy, courageous and won’t shy away from the hard topics.”
New Zealand’s favourite morning show AM returns, co-hosted by Melissa Chan-Green and her new co-host Lloyd Burr who will continue to bring Kiwis the best mix of morning news, entertainment, sports and weather.
“I’ve been fortunate to have a front row seat to many new events over the past 13 years – but the seat I’m looking forward to the most is the one on AM,” says Lloyd. “I’m excited to join such a brilliant, dynamic team and I couldn’t think of anyone better to share the couch with than Mel.”
Further details about the new 7pm show and AM will be revealed in the coming weeks.
After an incredibly successful first year, the popular original format show Paddy Gower Has Issues returns with the issues Kiwis care about, hosted by this year’s NZTV Awards News and Current Affairs Presenter of the Year Patrick Gower and Entertainment Presenter of the Year Karen O’Leary.
Newshub Late, Newshub Nation and The Hui will also return in 2024.
GLOBAL HITS
2024 will be the biggest year yet for premium international titles on ThreeNow – New Zealand’s fastest growing streaming platform. Global hit Nightsleeper (above) is a drama told in real time across six, nail-biting hours as a usually peaceful sleeper train sets off from Glasgow to London when a serious incident occurs leaving passengers trapped inside and speeding off into the night with no escape. A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, based on the New York Times number one best seller and bookTok sensation, follows a smart and single-minded woman (Emma Myers), who becomes determined to solve the murder of a local schoolgirl after growing convinced the police had pinned the case on the wrong person.
Compelling new Australian series Paper Dolls follows the meteoric rise and fall of a fictional girl band Harlow. Popular Australian actress Asher Keddie returns to the screen in Strife, from the producer of Big Little Lies. Inspired by Mia Freedman’s memoir, Keddie plays Evelyn Johnson as she rises from lounge room blogger to a force in Women’s media.
Building on our recently added exclusive live streaming channels – WBTV Deadliest Catch, WBTV Motor Heads and West Family Sagas – new fast-channel MovieSphere will also debut as the only premium global movie channel offered by a major studio, free on ThreeNow.
MORE DRAMA AND LAUGHS
Warner Bros. Discovery Senior Director of Commissioning Vicki Keogh says, “In 2024 we’re bringing New Zealand audiences even more of the shows they love as we double down on our commitment to local content. We’ve got an incredible range of quintessentially Kiwi premium dramas, laugh out loud comedy, hard-hitting factual and documentary series and the hottest reality formats in the world. We’ve got something to appeal to everyone, delivered whenever, wherever, and however audiences choose to watch.”
Full of classic Kiwi optimism, Friends Like Her is set in post-earthquake Kaikoura and explores a friendship that goes sour when a surrogacy deal goes wrong and stars Kiwi stars Morgana O’Reilly, Tess Haubrich, Vinnie Bennett and Jarod Rawiri. Madam is a dramedy centered around the true story of American Mom Mack who divorces her husband and starts an ethical brothel in Whangarei, New Zealand to provide for her family. Starring Australian actress Rachel Griffiths and Kiwi actor Martin Henderson.
Vince, written by and starring Jono Pryor, is the story of a television presenter who is the nation’s ‘father’. For 20 years Vince was the flawless face of everything from game shows to reality shows and host of the long running morning show Morning Glory. But fame and fortune all come to an abrupt end when Vince finds himself at the centre of an unfortunate incident.
Happiness is a musical set in Taranaki which is New Zealand’s answer to Glee. n00b, set in Gore in 2005, follows five Kiwi teenagers who use the newly invented internet to escape their depressing everyday realities – if Happiness is New Zealand’s answer to Glee, then n00b is New Zealand’s answer to Sex Education.
LOCAL DOCUMENTARIES
New premium factual content includes the riveting true crime documentary series Black Coast Vanishings which explores the disappearance of six people at Piha Beach. Other new factual content arriving next year is Live and Let Dai, which follows the raw and emotional journey of comedian and presenter Dai Henwood as he faces his battle with stage four cancer. Award winning journalist, Patrick Gower returns with another documentary, this time on a topic close to the nations heart: Patrick Gower: On The Climate Crisis.
HOT REALITY
Only the best reality formats are on offer next year as Married At First Sight New Zealand is back on our screens after a four-year break. This builds on the massively popular MAFS Australia which returns for the 11th season, promising audiences more attempts at love and of course all the drama that brings. The Traitors NZ is also returning for a second season hosted by the deliciously mischievous Paul Henry.
2024 will be a year filled with even more laughs, as the country’s favourite comedy shows 7 Days, Guy Montgomery’s Guy Mont Spelling Bee and New Zealand Today return.
Docuseries returning include the ever-popular David Lomas Investigates as well as new seasons of Match Fit, Nadia’s Farm and Wild Heroes.
Warner Bros. Discovery ANZ acknowledges support from NZ On Air for David Lomas Investigates, 7 Days, New Zealand Today, Guy Montgomery’s Guy Mont Spelling Bee, Match Fit, Friends Like Her, n00b, Happiness and Vince.
Madam and Black Coast Vanishings are produced in association with New Zealand Government’s Te Puna Kairangi Premium Productions for International Audiences Fund and NZ On Air and the New Zealand Screen Production Rebate.
